Author Archives: Sabine Kalthoff

How can they believe?

How can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? (Rom. 10:14)

Before becoming a Christian, I really felt that my life didn’t have any meaning. I was searching for myself, my identity; I didn’t know what to do with my life, and most of all, I was afraid. I didn’t have self-confidence, and I almost always felt excluded and rejected. And then, I simply had to grow up. In order to grow up you must know what you want, find a meaning in life. I didn’t find any and was constantly changing my mind about which studies and future profession to pursue.

Just a few months ago, I could not have imagined a God who rules the universe and that my will could be under the control of a higher being. I felt condemned to live without any guidance and believed that after death there’s nothing. I had vaguely been told about God when I was younger, but so vaguely that I did not know Jesus. I concluded that God was too far away and abstract and that he couldn’t exist. I had totally rejected the idea of believing in him. How should one believe in this distant and obscure figure if one has never been in contact with him, and if there’s no proof of his existence? I simply did not understand this idea of faith, and anyway I’d never opened a Bible in my life. For me, it was an intimidating and austere book.

But this has changed. I’ve been studying English at the university in Paris for the past three years, and last year, I took a course titled: “The Bible in English literature”. That year I started going to the local IFES group (Groupes Bibliques Universitaires in France). A friend of mine had told me about it, and explained that the Bible was studied there. I went because I wanted to learn more about this book I knew nothing about, particularly in view of my university course.

It’s one of the best things that ever happened to me. First, because the people I met there are now dear friends, but also because that is where I heard about Jesus for the first time. I felt right at home after only a few weeks, but I did not yet believe in God.

For that to happen, I had to attend a weekend organized by IFES in February 2011. That’s when I truly realized that God was the missing piece in my life. I think that knowing Jesus more and more through the IFES’s Bible studies is what helped me most to step out to God in faith and to finally believe in Him.

Sophie , French student

The Big Picture

The Bible is not a collection of isolated texts. It tells the story of our world with a beginning, a centre (Jesus), and a goal. Grasping the flow of this story provides us with the necessary context for understanding individual Scripture passages. It also helps us see our lives as a part of this story: this is our past, present, and future. The entire Bible is given to us as a lens through which to interpret all of life and society. So we must ask: What helps students get an overview of the biblical narrative? What helps them understand individual texts, themes, and their lives in light of the whole revelation of God?

Let me share with you some approaches:

_Biblical overviews

In February, I joined a student weekend of GBU France on the theme of what it means to be human. Besides Bible expositions and workshops, they included three Biblical overviews in their training. In one such overview, for example, the biblical theology of work was explored. How is work a part of God’s good creation? How was it affected by sin? What does the New Testament have to say about work? Based on a work sheet, the facilitator led the students through phases of group study (looking up and discussing relevant Scripture passages) and plenary interaction. Helping students trace themes through the Bible is one great way of teaching them to think in terms of the big picture!

_Reading through the Bible.

Some students in IFES do this regularly. A student from Martinique shared that for the past three years, she has been reading through the Bible once a year. Others have never done so. How can we encourage them? Reading plans (e.g. the M’Cheyne plan) can help. One German student group initiates a new reading group every year. Those who join meet once a week to discuss what they are reading – a strong motivation to keep going.

_Facilitating Access to All of Scripture.

We all have the tendency to know some parts of the Bible well, but to neglect others. Which biblical books are rarely read in your context? Which books are hard for student groups to study on their own? Teaching or developing good Bible study material on these books could help students develop a fuller picture.

What do you think helps students understand and live in the big picture? Any comments or experiences are welcome!

Sabine Kalthoff

Using Internet Opportunities

At the IFES Bible Study Consultation last February, research reports showed that one of the weakest areas of Scripture engagement in most IFES regions was “personal Bible study.”

In response to this a small working group came up with an idea to help: Use social media to encourage students to get into Scripture on their own on a regular basis. The hope was that having an “instant Bible study” on a student’s Smartphone, email, or Facebook page each day might inspire them to be more regular in their personal Bible study. This project was named “Thirsty.”

Four staff from the IFES region of North America volunteered to take on Thirsty as a pilot project for a year. Our goal by next June is to have 500 regular users. Thirsty delivers a passage of Scripture each day along with three inductive questions to a blog site, Facebook page, email inboxes, and Smartphones via a text message.  The passages go consecutively through books of the Bible. The study questions are written by a multi-ethnic, multi-national group of staff and students. Thirsty users can interact with each other about the daily study on the blog site or Facebook page.

Take a look for yourself: http://thirsty.ifesworld.org/ A video presenting the Thirsty project can be found at http://vimeo.com/28412649/.

Since Thirsty was launched Sept 1 there are about 250 regular users, and more than 3000 people from over 60 countries have visited the blog page. We don’t know how many of the users are new to regular personal Bible study or whether these are regular Scripture users switching to using Thirsty. We’ve received enthusiastic feedback from some of the regular users who really appreciate the way the inductive questions help them think more deeply about the passage and apply it to their lives.

A full evaluation of the Thirsty pilot project is scheduled for early 2012. At that time we will also consider how Thirsty could be shared and expanded among other IFES movements who may be interested.

Bob G., InterVarsity/USA
For more information contact: Elizabeth.english (at) intervarsity.org

Other New Projects Using the Internet to Strengthen Personal Bible Study:
_WordUp: 99 days of reading psalms. Cf. https://www.facebook.com/groups/wordup.nz/ The documents on the facebook page include some very creative videos on Bible study.

_Reading through the Bible in one year. A facebook group started by a Danish student.
Cf. http://www.facebook.com/groups/222475794471032/

Why? What for?

IFES is committed to Scripture as God’s Word to us. We want students to read and study the Bible. Why? Please pause for a moment and think about why you read the Bible. What are your expectations as you do so?

Reading the Bible is not an end in itself. It is not about fulfilling a Christian duty for the sake of having done so. It is also not primarily about collecting information and facts (and then getting bored with Bible passages we think we already know).

As we seek to strengthen Scripture engagement in IFES our ultimate aim is not to see more students reading and studying the Bible. Yes, we want to see that happen, but for the sake of something greater. In God’s written word, students meet Jesus Christ, the Living Word – and get to know and trust him. Through God’s word, students grow in their love for God and for others, they receive grace and hope, they learn to see our world and themselves differently, they are challenged to place all of life under the Lordship of Christ. Scripture engagement is not an end in itself. Its ultimate aim is a transformative encounter with the living God. It is seeing God through his word shape us (individually and collectively) into the image of Christ.

The place of Scripture engagement in the Living Stones vision of IFES reflects this well: it is one of three core commitments which are to “surround and support” every aspect of IFES life. (See the Living Stones document: http://www.ifesworld.org/about/vision.) Scripture engagement is not one strategic priority set next to others; it is not an area of ministry which can be isolated from other things we are doing. It is integral to everything we do. This involves, for example, going through the six strategic priorities of the Living Stones vision asking questions like: How does Scripture shape our understanding, practice, and the content of evangelism? Which role does it play in strengthening leadership and formacion? How can we help students engage the university and their own field of studies through a biblical lens? And so on.

Why engage Scripture? How does Scripture engagement fit into the bigger picture of IFES student ministry? I encourage you to reflect on these questions with regard to your own life and ministry. One (of many) Bible passages worth meditating as you think about this is 2. Timothy 3:14-17.

Sabine Kalthoff